Selank

Overview

Selank (also known as TP-7) is a synthetic heptapeptide (Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro) engineered as an analog of tuftsin, a naturally occurring immunomodulatory tetrapeptide. It was developed by the Institute of Molecular Genetics at the Russian Academy of Sciences in cooperation with the V.V. Zakusov Research Institute of Pharmacology in the late 1990s and early 2000s [2].

Following successful clinical trials, Selank was officially registered in Russia in 2009 as "Selank 0.15%" — an intranasal solution for the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder and neurasthenia. It remains unapproved by Western regulatory agencies including the FDA.

Compound Variants

Three distinct variants of Selank are sold in the research-chemical market. They are chemically different compounds and tracked separately by vendors:

Research Areas and Claims

Selank is widely marketed in the nootropic community as an anxiety-relieving "stress blocker" with cognitive benefits. Its most defensible use cases — based on peer-reviewed data — are:

• Anxiolytic (Anti-Anxiety): In a direct comparator trial, Selank demonstrated anxiolytic efficacy equivalent to the benzodiazepine medazepam in patients with GAD and neurasthenia — without the sedation or cognitive dulling typical of traditional tranquilizers [2].

• Anti-Asthenic & Mild Psychostimulant: Unlike benzodiazepines, Selank has a mild activating (rather than sedating) quality — reducing mental fatigue while lowering anxiety, as observed in clinical subjects [2].

• Immunomodulation: As a tuftsin analog, Selank measurably alters Th1/Th2 cytokine balance in patients with anxiety-asthenic disorders, providing a direct biological link between psychological stress and immune function [3].

Mechanism of Action

1. GABAergic Neurotransmission: Intranasal Selank rapidly alters the expression of 45 genes in the frontal cortex that regulate GABA receptor function, acting as an allosteric modulator of GABAergic signaling — similar in pathway to benzodiazepines but without the same receptor binding mechanism [1][4].
2. Immune-Nervous System Crosstalk (Tuftsin Analog): As a structural analog of tuftsin — an endogenous immunopeptide derived from IgG — Selank modulates macrophage and immune cell activity, shifting the Th1/Th2 cytokine balance and linking neuroactive effects to peripheral immune regulation [3].

Dosing Schedule (Clinical Context)

• Route: Intranasal (nasal drops/spray) — the only clinically validated route. The registered Russian product is a 0.15% intranasal solution [2].

• Dose: 2–3 drops per nostril, administered 2–3 times daily [2][3].

• Course duration: Short courses of 10–14 days used in clinical trials [2].

• SC & Oral: Subcutaneous use is practiced in the research-chemical community but lacks published human efficacy data. Oral bioavailability is poor and not used clinically.

Clinical Trials & Evidence

Selank is an officially approved medication in Russia. The studies below are peer-reviewed and indexed in PubMed. The majority of Russian clinical trial literature is not accessible in English or lacks extractable primary endpoints.

Regulatory Status & Limitations

Vendor Directory

Data collected March 2026. Tables sorted by $/mg ascending within each section.

SC Injection — NA-Selank-Amidate (NASSA) · Finnrick A-Rated

Sold exclusively as kits of 30mg vials. 99.95% purity; certified endotoxin-safe.

SC Injection — Standard Selank

† Quantity-tiered pricing. Single-unit rate shown.

SC Injection — N-Acetyl Selank (NA-Selank) & NASSA (Non-Finnrick)

† Quantity tiers: 5–9 units $5.23/mg; 10+ $4.95/mg.

Nasal Spray

Sublingual Tablets & Dissolving Strips

No Public Price / Not Available

References

1. [1]

   Volkova A, et al. "Selank Administration Affects the Expression of Some Genes Involved in GABAergic Neurotransmission." Front Pharmacol. 2016. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26998000

2. [2]

   Zozulia AA, et al. "Efficacy and possible mechanisms of action of a new peptide anxiolytic selank in the therapy of generalized anxiety disorders and neurasthenia." Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2008. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18454096

3. [3]

   Uchakina ON, et al. "Immunomodulatory effects of selank in patients with anxiety-asthenic disorders." Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2008. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18577961

4. [4]

   Filatova E, et al. "GABA, Selank, and Olanzapine Affect the Expression of Genes Involved in GABAergic Neurotransmission in IMR-32 Cells." Front Pharmacol. 2017. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28326038